


Positively

by SyntheticAngel



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Adult Content, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Romance, Sexual Content, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Sweet, Tension, slight canon divergance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-15
Updated: 2017-05-15
Packaged: 2018-10-05 14:47:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10310624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SyntheticAngel/pseuds/SyntheticAngel
Summary: Want to bang the fish? Need a cute Zora girl to project yourself onto? Look no further.That's a crude summary but this is a sweet fic about friends, believing in the good in people, and overall good vibes. And also the hot fish prince.





	1. Introduction

**Author's Note:**

> Smut won't come til later. I just have feelings about this damn fish that need to be released. And I love y'all making Sidon/Link but I personally needed something different.<3  
> Thank you to my bae FullSizeRender for beta reading.

She’s always smiling.

Even when word gets around that the Divine Beast Vah Ruta is spewing too much water too fast, she finds the spirit to stay lighthearted. “Thank the goddess we can swim then,” she says in good humor. She knows the real threat of Vah Ruta’s sudden destructive behavior, but she’d be damned if she let the Zora blues get to her too.

Her responsibility goes as far as her friends’. Scout for a Hylian to appease the Beast and stop it from destroying both the Domain and the lives of hundreds of land-dwelling people in the nearby village. She’s sure she can do that. The Domain buzzes with energy and enthusiasm when its people collectively focus on a goal, and she thrives off of that.

She thrives off of the dutiful care Zora royalty put into keeping her home safe and at ease. King Dorephan hurled the Beast 100 years ago, so that it wouldn’t harm his people. She knows that the king lost his own daughter about that long ago too, but she never knew the Princess. Only the king’s son.

She’s seen Prince Sidon more than the king himself. There isn’t often a reason for Zoras to visit the throne room; even now, when everything seems so desperate. Urgent. She always happens to be around when the prince is, while he’s discussing what she guesses are royal matters with the king’s advisor Muzu, or impressed with an old Zora convinced he has a resistance to electricity. She commends him too, but she’d never put herself through the torture of picking up a shock arrow herself.

The prince sees her sometimes. She smiles, but they never talk. Her close friend Torfeau had spoken to him before getting stationed outside of Soh Kofi Shrine. Told her that he’s just as pleasant to talk with as he seems. She admires his zest and enthusiasm, even in the face of a bleak future. He’s what the people need when the rain begins to fall harder.

It’s raining when she sees the prince alone one night.

She had been returning home to report news from her colleagues. A fantastic swimmer, she was quick to volunteer as a message runner so that they could keep Zoras on the lookout at all times. Still no Hylians sighted. She approaches, because the sight is just so unusual. He hardly looks like himself. The weight of responsibility pulls his fins so that they droop, his red scales glisten a dull maroon in the rain. She’s concerned, the way a friend would be.

“Prince Sidon?” She asks, voice barely over the constant splashing of falling water. He jerks, spine straightening, and her eyes meet his bright yellow. For a good few moments he’s tensed, caught out of character in front of a person he should protect. Emotional distance, she knew. Without a role model, without hope, people could very easily slip into panic. So without another word, she sits beside him and provides quiet companionship he doesn’t expect.

He doesn’t say anything at first. Then:

“There has to be more I can do.”

She stares forward, at the distant erected memorial honoring the late Princess Mipha, then turns her gaze to him, small smile glowing a soft shade of blue.

“That’s the thing,” she says, “if you do your best, the things that are meant to happen, will happen. If not, then maybe there is another plan fate has in mind.”

Rain takes the place of words once more, but the night is otherwise still and peaceful. While most went to sleep hours ago, a few Zoras remain in the plaza, unfettered by the time nor weather. They don’t acknowledge the pair sitting alone.

“You’re very wise.” The prince murmurs idly, her words seeping in like water to dry soil. His face lifts to face the rain, his eyes closed. It’s a different prince she sees, a realer part that isn’t endless over-enthusiasm. “It’s too bad we haven’t spoken before now. I see you so much at the plaza.” She catches the beginnings of a returning smile. “But maybe that wasn’t meant to happen until now, either.” He doesn’t hear her amused exhale, but he looks over anyway. “Either way, thank you. Your smile reminds me it’s not so naïve to be positive. What’s your name?”

Before she can answer, a quickly approaching, armor-clad Zora shouts at them with a frantically waving arm. He’s panting, far more out of breath than the seasoned messenger beside Prince Sidon would have been, but he finally reaches them and barely acknowledges interrupting what might’ve been a private moment.

“What is it, my friend?”

“A- Hylian,” the Zora wheezes, hands on his knees, “Hylian-” he gasps, and the prince’s eyes are wide, “going to be at- at Inogo Bridge.” Immediately Prince Sidon jumps to his feet, thanking the stand-in for hurrying to deliver such important news. The out of breath Zora only nods, looking about two steps away from passing out.

“Forgive me, I have to find this Hylian.” He extends a hand, and she takes it without missing a beat. Pulled to her feet, she finds herself looking up at him now, at his face beaming with returned spirit and a swelled chest. “Please. Your name.”

Stars in her eyes, she’s caught up in his energy.

“Pia.”


	2. Hero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pia and Torfeau get good ol' friendly bonding, and the real 'hero' shows up...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Establishing friendship with this chapter, moving onto that good relationship development shit in the next chapters

She nearly convinces herself that the encounter with the prince a few nights ago was just a really vivid daydream.

He had repeated her name, beamed at her with sparkling rows of sharp teeth. She could’ve sworn she felt his webbed hands squeeze hers, but the moment ended too soon that she could only wish him luck as he hurled himself off the marble ledge. She felt like she knew him a little better that night, more than that distant figure of respect and authority. He twisted mid-air and hit the water with a splash louder than the rain, and that’s about when the other Zora lifted his head from a keeled-over posture.

“Did I- did I interrupt something? I’m- so sorry, I hope it wasn’t important.”

And she laughed, telling him it wasn’t a big deal. An isolated incident, she’d told herself.

She thought about it for the next few days though, until her friends began returning to the Domain and energy buzzed with anticipated arrival of the “hero”.

“His hair is gold, really bright, and his eyes are blue. He didn’t say much but I thought, how wonderful! It must’ve been my lucky day!” Torfeau looks thrilled as she recounts her short conversation with the Hylian the others found. It seems like this hero talked to a lot of Zoras before he reached the prince. “And now we just wait for him to reach us. It’s really too bad that the cliffs are too slippery to climb.”

“You were so worried.” Pia laughs, picking fish bones out of her fillet. Lunch dates are a usual thing when they’re both home, so as soon as Torfeau made it back, it was set.

“And you weren’t? What part of ‘Great Danger!’ sounds like another regular day to you?”

“It’s not that I wasn’t worried, I just know that there are good people that will step up to a challenge.” Her knowledge about Vah Ruta and the situation in general isn’t extensive. Most Zoras don’t have that absolute need to know everything. The bubble of Zora’s Domain protects those within it. “It’s called thinking positively, Tor.”

She earns an eye roll for that.

“I think you’re POSITIVELY crazy.”

“What’s crazy is how long it took me to find this fish. You have any more river snails?”

She snatches the snails from Torfeau’s open hand and they laugh, and she’s glad to have a close friend back. Her mind slowly drifts back to a few nights ago and having nobody around to tell. Carefully her fingers pry open a shell and she slurps, the sound barely audible thanks to the rain that still hasn’t stopped. They swap both bits of food and stories, watching Zora children pitter-patter as they chase each other. Torfeau mentions remembering being so small, how others mistook her and Pia for sisters and denying it a thousand times until it was practically true.

They might as well be sisters, with the similar dark-scaled coloring, though Torfeau is significantly taller than her and Pia’s tail fin resembles a thresher shark more than ambiguous fish. Torfeau is slimmer, while Pia looks to have more muscle development. The pair stuck close together through maturity, competitively fish-catching and standing up for each other when trouble arose.

One of Pia’s most prominent memories of Torfeau took place when they first learned to catch fish alone. They and their other friend Laflat had been out in open water for what felt like hours, snacking on everything they got their grubby webbed hands on. Nothing bigger than a closed fist swam by, until Torfeau spotted a bigger fish and Laflat wanted it too. Children would be children.

“I saw it first!”

“Yea but I CAUGHT it first!”

“That’s not fair, I can’t swim that fast!”

“So??”

Pia had been made to pick who should get it. Her decision resulted in Torfeau and herself fish-less and both with one less friend. To this day Laflat won’t give them the time of day, despite how petty the whole ordeal was.

Torfeau nudges Pia as she’s still smiling about how stupid they must all be for not making up yet.

“Hey…” she murmurs, and Pia turns to see what all the commotion is. Prince Sidon returned.

“Is the Hylian with him?” She asks, glancing back at the only one between the two of them that actually knows what he looks like.

“I don’t see him,” Torfeau’s voice is quiet and Pia recognizes the look of concern on her face: she’s worried the hero may not have actually come. Torfeau bobs in search of another person, mumbling things that go unheard while Pia’s gaze falls onto the prince. She can’t help it. He looks thrilled, that usual air of confidence finding his step again, and energy in his hand motions as he speaks to Rivan at the Domain’s entrance. He’s so…fun to watch. She’s blocked out everything else entirely until she sees him waving and grinning.

“Whoa-! Did he- what was THAT?” Torfeau asks, nudging Pia out of the daze. “Was he waving at you?”

“No…?” She hesitates, genuinely unsure.

“No? Then who?” Torfeau surveys the area, confirming what she already knew. “That looked intentional, P.”

“Pandering, then,” Pia jokes, with the tiniest inkling that he did, in fact, mean to wave at her. The thought makes her heart skip a beat. She wishes she’d had more time to talk to him.

“Aww, you don’t like him? Think he’s faking under all that positivity?”

A little too quickly, Pia says,

“Definitely not.” Her eyes fall back onto the prince, who moved on to speaking with Laflat, the royal secretary. “I don’t think he’s faking, I think it takes a lot of work to be in the position he is.” Torfeau hums impishly at her, and Pia already knows what’s coming. Every damn Zora in the Domain is in love with him.

“It’ll probably take a lot of work to be in ANY position with him.”

“UGH.”

The moment dissolves into immature laughter and a lot of head shaking on Pia’s part, but she wouldn’t trade their friendship for the world. Torfeau is extremely trustworthy and, looking past the jokes, has incredible advice when necessary. There’s no reason why she shouldn’t share her encounter with the prince.

And she would have, if Torfeau hadn’t suddenly exclaimed something about the Hylian hero arriving right then.

She was right, his hair is bright and extremely visible from where they sit. His tunic is bright blue, enough to pick out from the blue of Zora’s Domain, and he carries weapons…so many weapons. She makes an off joke about that, but she’s curious enough about him to stand and get a closer look. Prince Sidon approaches him, a short conversation ensues, and then he’s alone once more to explore the Domain and chat up the locals. Torfeau nudges her again.

“Now’s your chance if you want to talk to him. No surprise, he looks like he likes Sidon.”

“Yea…” Pia laughs nervously, “I don’t want to overwhelm him. He looks very nice though.”

“What?” Torfeau huffs, packing away the remnants of their lunch date. “Don’t be shy, we’ve already asked him to face Vah Ruta for us, I don’t think you can overwhelm him beyond that.” That’s reasonable, Pia decides, and bids her best friend a hasty goodbye before hurrying down to meet the new face.

Her splashes become light steps when she gets close, and as if sensing her there, he turns. Pia’s seen Hylians up close like this maybe…a handful of times. The first time, she was a little fish craning her neck to stare at pointed ears and no gills, thinking how odd they looked. And now…

The hero is looking up at HER.

“Hey!” She greets, enthralled with how small he is. Are all Hylians like this? “I hope the climb wasn’t too rough, we’re really glad to see you here. My name is Pia. What’s yours?”

Link, he tells her. He looks a little worn and scratched up, and she doesn’t blame him; she was glad herself that she didn’t have to run messages anymore after they found this hero. Monsters are showing up more frequently as the days go by. She offers to give him a brief tour of the Domain, and to her surprise, he respectfully declines. Only asks to be directed to the throne room. Pia’s quick to agree, finding the interaction to be…underwhelming, to say the least.

“Thank you again,” she wishes him half-heartedly, as he leaves her side to go in alone. The rain feels a little colder as she stands there, exhaling through her mouth. ‘Ah well,’ she thinks, hands on her hips and gaze fixed on the giant marble fish fixture above the Domain. ‘Can’t win them all.’

She brushes off the incident and shrugs, turning on a heel to make her way to the market. Swimming fast has its perks; where most Zora don’t swim to make a living, Pia used her skill to catch the quick fish and become somewhat of a supplier for Marot Mart until the prince ordered the fastest swimmers to keep communication strong between scouts and the Domain.

He couldn’t be everywhere at all times, of course. She’s impressed he was out there at all.

She sees him one more time that day, in front of the memorial with royal advisor Muzu and the Hylian boy Link.

He looks distressed, from what Pia can tell, until his gaze wanders up briefly.

She smiles. He returns it.


	3. Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even a prince yearns for a friend.

She dreams of him that night. Wakes up to hot cheeks and fragments of a dream she wishes she remembered all of. Blames Torfeau for the unnecessary teasing.

It’s not that she’d DENY attraction to the prince. Her subconscious says that much.

But she’s one of the little people. Not blood-born royalty. 

So she’d deal with the occasional wet—oh good, fish puns—dream and move on...but dreams are tricky things, the kind of vivid that has her thinking about the visions long after they're over. Smooth scales, sharp teeth, the proximity, a distant but familiar comfort.

She’s still inside her head when she reports to Marot for her daily workload. The Domain is almost entirely back to normal now that the hero is out gathering shock arrows and well on his way to saving everyone. Torfeau jabs a spear into a nearby waterfall, insisting she’ll catch something after a while. Pia hardly has the heart to tell her to stop. She won’t spare her the amused laughter, though.

The fussing of teen Zoras grabs her attention, girls giggling as the prince descends stairs to the plaza. A corner of her lips tugs, because these girls did the same exact thing over that Link fellow, much to the dismay of elders who apparently had bitter feelings towards him.

“Pia!” She hears, and the smile on her face freezes as she realizes who’s calling for her. Prince Sidon grins down at her, oblivious to the sharp looks she’s getting from those aforementioned teen girls. More importantly, Torfeau will never let something like this go. She swallows dryly. “I have time while I wait for Link the Hylian to return. Would you walk with me?”

Even if she HADN’T had that interesting little conversation with him previously, she would’ve been an idiot to turn down such a request.

She catches the look of utter shock and curiosity on Torfeau’s face on the way out. She can already hear her friend’s voice. ‘Oh what did YOU do?’

Absolutely nothing.

She follows him blindly, passing inquisitive eyes all the way out to Divine Beast Vah Ruta with vague nervousness drying her mouth. Water bursts forth from the Divine Beast’s massive machine trunk and she squints up. Rain falls hardest here, but thankfully she can still hear him.

“I apologize again for taking off so suddenly,” he says, glimmer in his eyes, “so much has happened so quickly. Did you know he’s a Champion? THE hero Link. A real hero!”

“I didn’t!” Pia answers, recalling her brief encounter. Maybe he knows Link a little differently than she does, or maybe Link’s a...faceted sort of guy. And if she's being COMPLETELY honest with herself, she's not entirely sure what a Champion is. He must've seen through the empty exclamation.

“My father used to tell me stories of the Champions, chosen to man the Divine Beasts against a great evil. My own older sister was one.” Quiet, she follows his pause,

“Lady Mipha?”

He nods once, smile unwavering. She follows his line of sight to the Divine Beast in their East Reservoir Lake. It's been there since before Pia came into the world.

“She trusted Link, and I trust him too. When he returns, we’ll pacify Vah Ruta together. Then everyone will be out of danger.”

Her slitted gaze brightens, if only for a moment. She stands back.

“I don’t know how else to thank him. Maybe I don’t know him well enough yet. But I do know that you, too, deserve to be recognized as a hero.” As abrasive as it could sound, Sidon only looks at her curiously. For lacking brows like Hylians’, the Zora are incredibly expressive. The sight burns into her memory.

“If we could hold shock arrows, we’d be unstoppable!” He laughs, feather decoration wiggling when he shakes his head. “It's hard to find someone who thinks so positively. I actually wanted to thank you for the strength you lent me a few nights ago.” He brings a fist halfway up to his chest, fire in his heart while the rain falls. She peers up at him, small while beside Zora royalty. For a moment it appears he might jump into the water, but he ultimately decides against it. His fist lowers. “I hope you do not find it hard to speak with me.”

‘Because you're a prince?’ she mentally finishes the thought.

“Would you believe me if I told you that I've had little time for relationships outside of the throne room? I mean, it isn't any problem. At least, I didn't think it was until I realized just how differently the people hold me in their minds.”

She thinks she understands, digesting the words along with this morning’s meal. He's a wanted figure. She watches his gaze lower, lids half closed. It's no doubt that even as genuine as he is, his authority has gotten in the way of meaningful understanding. He's been cheated out of some things regular Zora like she and Torfeau got to experience on the regular, because he chose to be the hero people need. She'd heard the expression before.

‘A king is just a servant with a crown.’ Surely that applies to the prince as well.

“I believe you. What is it that you need?”

He tenses.

“Ah- well,” he stammers, a cool flush on his face, “let me explain! Over the years I've had my father, sister, Muzu to confide in…” He throws out a couple other names she doesn't recognize, but the point is all the same. “It's the perspectives. But up until now, I feel as though I've stayed within the same closed circle. They haven't been what I think I need, or nearly as positive!” Her head tilts inquisitively. “It...isn't that I need anything from you. I'd like your company.”

“Are you asking to be friends?” Silence hangs briefly in the air before she nudges him. “Because I'll only be friends with someone who beats me in a race, even if you're Prince Sidon.”

“Please!” He grins again, knowing full well that SHE knows full well he'd win. “I expect no less than a challenge from a good swimmer!” He takes her hand, small while clasped in his, and her heart skips a beat like a pebble over water. “I also wanted to ask if you'd be here when the hero returns. Link and I will be facing Vah Ruta together. I cannot wait to stand with such a strong warrior.”

“I will not miss it!”

Rows of teeth shine bright again.

“Wonderful!”


	4. Solidarity

Without a doubt, Torfeau is the best friend she’ll ever have. Always listens, always there, the whole package. Immediately after parting with the prince, Pia was en route to Marot to apologize for the sudden departure (though she didn’t think Marot would REALLY hold a grudge when it came to Sidon). The local metalworker hammers away at a new project and she admires him for just a moment, imagining her own beautiful set of armor. With the more frequent monster appearances lately, maybe it’s a good idea. She considers asking about prices when the friend of a lifetime intercepts her course.

“So WHEN were you going to tell me that you’re friends with Prince Sidon?” Torfeau demands, rightfully offended. Hands on her hips, she stares Pia down with a hurt that’s only half joking. Pia’s gaze flits to Zora around them when she mentions the prince. Talking about him is a good way to alert all nosy citizens within a mile radius.

“I swear I was trying to tell you at lunch the other day, but I didn’t get the chance!” Which is true, but Torfeau huffs.

“What does that even mean? That should’ve been the FIRST thing you said!” Her friend takes the hint and leads them just outside of the Domain, passing a couple curious young faces and waving to Riven on the way out. Thankfully, no one stops them for questions.

“I came home late the other night and he was sitting alone.” She explains, biting her lip. “So I kept him company.” It’s simple but Torfeau looks bewildered.

“Just...just like that? It was that easy? I mean-” she hesitates, coming around rather quickly after the faux hard feelings, “No offense but really? He talks to a lot of people. Not like a ‘gotta be in private’ way though.” Pia laughs, shrugging in earnest.

“That’s what I thought too.”

“Oh I know what it is.” Torfeau purrs.

Pia tenses, staring at her friend with scrutiny. But the remark never comes, because a third uninvited person breaks up the friendly conversation. The Zora girls turn to eye a fistful of shock arrows, held in the hands of none other than Hylian hero Link. He looks scratched up again, branches and a leaf poking out from his soaked mop of golden hair. That, and he’s wearing Zora armor… Pia’s eyes light up with relief, and she and Torfeau lead him back in. He works quickly, she’ll give him that much, but he spares no energy for pleasantry. The girls make eye contact, as if to silently agree: the hero is really damn short on words.

Torfeau insists she leave shortly after reaching the stairs for East Reservoir Lake. Pia wants to ask why, but with the urgency of the hero’s presence, she simply lets her friend go. Maybe she didn’t want to get in the way.

“Ah! Just the two people I wanted to see!” In comes the familiar voice of Prince Sidon, and Link marches on ahead. ‘Two, eh?’ a corner of her lips tugs up, while the two ahead converse. Shortly after, Sidon waves her closer and she follows the command. “Come on over, my friend!” The smile wins out and she nearly jogs to them, catching the faintest frown on the Hylian hero’s face. She attributes it to previously facing a Lynel.

“Is it time?” She asks, glowing when Sidon returns her excitement.

“If our warrior is ready!” He looks to Link, who confirms with a nod. Shock arrows in hand and armor on, he seems as ready now as he’ll ever be. The prince fist-pumps, jumping into the water first with a graceful spin and leaving Pia alone with Link. The hero doesn’t smile at her, but follows Sidon without a word. That’s to be expected now, though.

She fails to remember directly pissing the hero off. Tongue running along her sharp teeth, she fights the instinct to jump into the water too. She watches Sidon catch Link on his back, and propel through the water to Vah Ruta.

Then she witnesses what has to be the most awe-inspiring, incredible show of solidarity between a Hylian and a Zora. She holds her breath, releases it, claws at the marble floor. She hears Sidon encouraging Link when he delivers the hero to one of Ruta’s waterfalls, hears the howls when a shock arrow hits its target. Stars in her eyes, Pia eventually finds herself cheering too; her lungs aren’t used to it, but soon the cries tear from her throat and she can’t feel a thing thanks to the adrenaline. It looks almost like time slows down when the hero reaches the top of the waterfall, and Sidon is right there when he falls back down.

When all of the points have been restored, the water flow slows down. Pia stops, eyes on the sky just long enough to verify that the torrential rain has stopped. Then she jumps up, arms above her head with pride and rejoicing.

Meanwhile, Sidon leaves Link with strength and good wishes. The water level lowers enough for the hero to enter Ruta, and as soon as he’s in, Sidon dips back under the water. Pia watches Ruta’s main entrance rise and close up, the gears along its sides turning steadily. She remembers being small, gazing upon the Divine Beast with wonder at how people could create such a thing. It’s a similar feeling now.

“Say, hey there.” She hears, and looks down sharply to see the prince still in the water, arms up on the edge of the walkway. He radiates with pride. She crouches, breathing,

“Amazing.”

And he humbly laughs, insisting it’s all Link as he reaches out for help to get out. She intends to insist that he’s just as praiseworthy, but as she grabs his hand, she realizes her mistake: he pulls her in instead. She chokes out a yelp before making the splash, giggling while gills on her sides flutter open, webbing between her fingers stretched.

It’s all up to the hero now. The sky clears steadily while they swim, working out the rest of the rush through friendly competition.

And that’s only the beginning.

For the most part, things at the Domain go back to the way they were before Ruta threw a fit. Scouts return to their previous jobs, Marot maintains her shop, some help to rebuild columns broken down in the “rampage”. Life keeps going. And Pia’s social life suddenly got a little more exciting.

The prince asks to see her, every day. Catching fish is the last thing on her mind when she runs over green, wet moss and leaps off a waterfall ledge with him, determined to perform the better dive. ‘I can better see the hero when he leaves Vah Ruta,’ he told her. ‘I will be able to see that he’s won the battle and finished the job,’ he said.

She believes him the first couple of days.

Day three is when their interactions start to change.

She gets an early start on day 3, accepting Marot’s request and setting out with battered armor, a hand-carved spear, and a groggy smile. She never said she was a morning person, but her sense of responsibility says she can’t miss another day of catching for Marot. The job has gotten a lot more dangerous thanks to monsters, and Marot finds less and less people every day brave enough to face them.

She returns home out of breath and with a half-full net slung over her shoulder, but an unwavering spirit that reminds her she’s probably going to see the prince again today.

“You’re up early!” She chirps to a very sleepy Torfeau, stationed right in front the same old waterfall, practicing jabs into the constant stream. She snorts when she sees her friend jump.

“You’re going to kill me!” Torfeau gasps, knuckles white on her spear. “What are you doing out already?”

“Fishing.” She states matter-of-factly, slightly raising the bag in her hand. “You?”

“Uhm,” her friend hesitates, as if attempting to remember what she WAS doing, “practicing my swings! You mind teaching me a few things sometime? I think this waterfall is getting tired of me beating it up all the time.” Pia snickers.

“You want ME to teach you things?”

“Don’t act like you don’t smack bokoblins around out there like a Champion.” And Pia shrugs, because she’ll do what she has to from time to time to get around, even if that means cutting down a few monsters. The Lynel’s a different story…

“You have my word, Tor. Be easy on that waterfall.” She picks up her pace again, waving on the way.

“Hey princess,” Torfeau calls after her, and she looks over her shoulder. “Be good out there with Prince Charming, kay?” Pia swears she saw a wink, and she hardly hides a grin as she starts jogging instead. That’s the nickname, now that outings with Sidon are a regular ‘thing’.

“No promises!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the good shit is happening soon i'm so sorry for the delay, i started taking commissions on my blog<3 next chapter should be a good treat


	5. Red

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi loves thank you for the sweet comments and dialogue!! enjoy the chapter

She moves up the winding staircases, a quick and graceful black thresher through the sea. The sun illuminates Zora’s Domain and despite seeing it all the time and everywhere she goes, this is her favorite shade of blue. She’s never known blue for sadness, but for life and for sweet dreams, for home and for freedom.

And red, well.

Red’s the color of passion.

“Hey there.” The prince still draws so much attention in the plaza, towering over Marot and Pia when he approaches for the third time that week. Pia fails to hide the enthusiasm in her expression and Marot’s hand grazes her own cheek while one of her only few employees chats with the prince. While intrigued by the relationship, the daily outings aren’t great for business. She’d love to let Pia go solely on the basis that it’s probably better for her, but she’s one of the only good fish catchers Marot has left on the team. She waves off her employee with the reminder to come back later.

Pia takes the suggestion all too quickly, leaving with a grateful smile and royalty in tow.

“What is it you do?” Sidon asks, East Reservoir Lake and Vah Ruta coming into view. Pia can’t imagine it’s anything exciting compared to HIS kind of responsibilities, but he sounds genuinely interested. He walks close enough to her so that his fins brush hers every odd step or so. She doesn’t move away.

“I catch for her, sometimes collect other ingredients, run into a few monsters…”

“You can fight.” He says, and she laughs shortly.

“Not WELL, but I can hold my own.” She explains, eyes on the calm waters surrounding their Divine Beast. They stand looking over the reservoir. “And as soon as we come up with shock-proof armor, that Lynel better watch out.”

“Please, I like you much better alive. But I like your spirit!” He laughs, rows of teeth catching her eye once more. They’re intimidating...in the best way. The variety of Zora is something so fascinating about the species, how some take more after fish with small, sharp teeth and webby fins, and others more after sharks with rows of jagged incisors and varying caudal fin size. The differences often influence their individual behaviors, from swimming styles to ‘sensual habits’. He catches the tail end of her staring and nods once at her. “No need to wear the armor here though, I’ll take the Lynel on if it shows up.”

She giggles and won’t fight him on that, so she takes the cue and pops off the steel chestplate, letting it fall to the cold floor with a clatter. Fresh air hits the bare curve of her chest and she grins. The armor is protective, but she can’t swim as fast with its added weight.

“Better?” He asks.

“Much.” She breathes. His gaze is almost tangible, but there isn’t any shame in the looks. An aquatic people, Zora hardly have the need for clothing...and as such, they’re the kind of ‘free’ that would make an unsuspecting Hylian blush. Breasts hardly mean a thing to a species that births young as eggs. 

He doesn’t make any move towards the water, so she does, steps slow and calculated until she reaches the edge. If somebody told her it’d take just thinking positively to get here with the prince, she’d have laughed. That beyond the enthusiasm and intensity there’s a prince who worries over protecting people and longs for meaningful relationships, sure. But Torfeau didn’t warn her about falling for the charm of royalty so down to earth. Pia bends her knees and leaps, red in her peripherals when she hits the water.

The last two days were sweet. She learned a lot more about him than she anticipated. His personality isn’t just a stage act, but it’s certainly not all there is to him. Despite the first brief meeting, she couldn’t have expected Sidon to be so...endearing. He had talked about his sister, his father--the damn king--in a way she could find relatable, his close friends over the years, and everything she could think to ask. She found commonalities in his anxiety for purpose, in acknowledging life’s hardships but choosing to work for happiness anyway. His attentiveness had her talking too, and maybe that’s why there were a few things she forgot to ask about.

She’s still upside down in the water when she hears the second splash, and as she feels the electrical signals of a body close behind her. He overshadows her easily, inches away from contact. She arches her back and brushes what she doesn’t know are his pelvic fins, only then realizing he’s closer than she thought. He exhales shakily, her cheeks flush, and she propels herself forward.

“My mistake!” She sings, impish glimmer in her yellow eyes when she glances back mid-stroke. He isn’t where she expects him to be.

“That was unintentional?” He asks, swimming just above her. He twists in the water and moves gracefully around her like the moon around earth, in time with her undulations.

“Maybe.” She backpedals, coy and spiraling out of his path into brighter water. She leaves bubbles behind and he laughs before following, as if accepting an unspoken challenge. She’s tried before and it’s confirmed: she can’t outswim him.

It’s fun to be chased, though.

Her heart skips a beat seeing him advance so quickly, in the same way a smaller fish might fear a carnivore. But instead of the thrashing, he circles closely and brushes against her a little more and more while she blindly glides through the water...steps in shark courtship. It’s hard to focus on going anywhere specific while he teases an “oops” with every skim, and Pia forgets he’s a prince at all. She allows the excitement to run her movements, falling into a familiar dance with someone she didn’t know as well a couple weeks ago.

She presses back into him, the first substantial contact that ups the game she didn’t know she was playing. He seems surprised by the act initially, and as she swims away she notices the playfulness got to him more than he probably wanted. The shark prince smirks briefly and straightens out in the water, drifting towards the surface.

And she holds her breath, allowed full view of his pelvic fins and dual claspers peeking from them. She desperately wants to look away--honest!--but the intentional move is too clear to ignore. As if he needed to flaunt the assets…

He comes back down and circles her again. Every reasonable fiber of her being reminded her that she was no suitable mate for a prince. He intended on friendship, that got a little flirty....but she’d hate herself if she missed out on these cues. The shark wants a little taste of blood. He’s behind her again, face by hers when her gills shudder and he murmurs:

“Question.”

“Yes?” She chokes out, throat tight from tension.

“Are these recent?”

She nearly asks what he's talking about, but he clarifies with gentle grazing on her shoulders, up to the neck. You see, Pia isn't a stranger to shark loving. She forgot that the removed armor left her exposed to a very observant prince. A few silvery crescents decorate the thick skin on her shoulders, testaments to past encounters with the shark variety of Zora. He doesn't move away and she resists the embarrassing sting of shame. She can't deny being a sexual creature with needs from time to time.

“No.” She answers, honest and firm. In reality, the marks aren't as obvious unless up close.

“Good,” she thinks she hears him say, but she bites her lip and arches her spine again. Kinetic with energy and sexual tension, it must be the water that makes her take it further.

“You can do better.” She says, his teeth vivid in her mind, and she almost regrets the words leaving her lips. He appears in her sights searching her face for any ounce of jest and, upon finding none, looks incredulous...as if she'd just told him that she wanted it now, wanted him now. Two days ago she'd joked about tearing into fish with her teeth, not him tearing into her. And he hesitates before nodding, mouth slightly agape before his forearm fins flare out and all she sees is red.

They're close to the surface of the water when he whirls around her and she prepares for...something. Anything. Shark habits included bites, holding her in place, goddess help her because he was already bigger than her in general-

Something whizzes by her face and she blinks. She twists in the water, Sidon behind her. His gaze also fixed on the water’s surface, her eyes fall down the contours of his abdomen and onto the flushed, excited claspers that almost got some action. That is, until another thing whizzes by and she pushes off from the prince playfully to get to the surface.

“Really.” She laughs, a bokoblin standing not far away and throwing stones in her general direction. Sidon comes up beside her, more amused by the effort than she is.

“Let’s see those moves!” He teases, nudging her with a grin that conveyed the slightest bit of disappointment in a broken mood. She shakes her head.

“If the prince wants it,” she says, drifting closer to the monster, “he gets it.”

“Wait.” He interrupts firmly, glancing back at the divine beast a ways behind them. Vibrations in the water reach them at once, and Vah Ruta emits a deep sound that scares off the bokoblin plus birds from neighboring trees. Pia looks around wildly, eventually making nervous eye contact with Sidon. He swims closer for her comfort.

“He's still in there, huh?” She asks quietly, and he nods.

“Incredibly brave.” He says, a little more somber than she expected for how inspired by Link he was before. A couple days ago he seemed like the sun in Sidon’s universe. She touches his shoulder and he looks to her. “Ah...I'm sorry. You comforted me that night I thought I'd failed everyone. How amazing must it be to be a hero like him? To be able to go and play a role like that.”

“That's HIS role.” She adds, splashing a little when she comes face to face with him. He watches, waiting for more. Interestingly enough, it touches her most to be confided in like this. There's something about the seriousness, the trust. Failure to be the hero Link is seems to be a recurring theme in his doubts, and she shines there. “You're NOT him, and his heroism looks different from yours. I think…” she squeezes his shoulders, “that the rest of the world has him, but we need you.”

He smiles, appreciative, but she doesn't think it's really gotten through. She can't exactly blame him when so much has happened so quickly, but at least she was a nice distraction. He accompanies her back to the domain, thoughtful and sweet til the reluctant goodbye.

How quickly the day changed…

She fixes her steel chest plate back on, and replays the best parts of the outing until nighttime takes the day out of daydreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> claspers are shark dicks, btw  
> just in case anyone needed clarification
> 
> y'all, probably?: you're not gonna type with all the sciency biological fish terms right  
> me: lol


	6. Not so Positively

She swims alone the next day, working double time to make up for her recent slack. Marot needed higher inventory in case the hero came back early, and hungry. Fish are eerily hard to come by, but she grips her net with determination and swims further downstream. If she can't do it, can anyone?

‘Sidon, probably.’ She says mentally, unable to really control her thoughts from drifting. Each fish evading her grasp reminds her of lost opportunity and it’s getting frustrating. The slippery fish, not Sidon, of course…

Yesterday plays like a mental movie and her remote is busted.

“Ugh.” She groans to open water, remembering what he said about being a hero. Maybe the more frustrating part of yesterday was failing to say the ‘right’ thing. She finally catches a fish and pulls it close, watching it wriggle and its glittery scales twinkle before shoving it into her net. She tries to project some deep meaning about ‘catching the wrong fish’ onto her poor prey but the sentiment feels forced and silly. She sucks her teeth and eyeballs about 20 fish or so in the net. That'll have to do.

She cuts through the water with little enthusiasm compared to the last few days. Going upstream isn't too bad a struggle, even with a bag of fish in her hand, but everything feels stressful in cloudy water.

She's a distraction, isn't she? He'd rather have a plaything than worry about incapabilities and the hero purifying Van Ruta alone. All it really took was a bokoblin trying to hurt them with rocks for him to slip and reveal what ‘terrifying creatures’ lurked in the dark waters of his mind.

She shakes her head, slapping herself in the face with her own shark tail end.

“Oop-” she mutters, rubbing her eyes with a free hand, “real edgy, Pia. You deserved that.”

“Someone’s talking to herself.” She jolts at the voice of her best friend, realizing she was close enough to the Domain but not to Torfeau.

“Well hi to you too.” She half smiles. “We've been friends for years, I didn't know you came out this way.”

“Yes yes, hi hello, listen-” Torfeau’s fins splay as she halts in the water, “the Hylian is coming back, I had to get you.”

Pia freezes momentarily, blinking at her friend.

“You're sure?”

“Yes! Goddess we have no time for this, come on!” Torfeau grabs her by the wrist and tugs. “Also we gotta talk but not now. You're faster than me, get to it!”

And thankfully they do make it on time, just barely. Most of the Zora gathered around to watch whatever celebratory ceremony this was, and Pia holds her net of wriggling fish close as she tiptoes closer. Every time she sees the throne room, she's awestruck by its sheer mass and grandeur. The king is just as impressive.

Link stands out like a stunted fin in the center of it all, a peachy Hylian in a sea of multicolored Zora. She catches the tail end of the king’s speech, and forgets about her doubts when he mentions gratitude towards his son. She beams, behind a gaggle of teen girls no doubt fawning over him and oblivious to the fact that his smiling glance was indeed not to them, but Pia.

“Same look,” Torfeau whispers, a hand on her hip and confidence painted all over her face.

“What do you mean?” Pia murmurs, eyes flitting between the hero, the king, and her prince.

“You two look at each other the same way and it’s gross. You kiss yet?”

Pia chokes, thrown into a coughing fit and attracting the attention of most Zora in their close vicinity. Torfeau awkwardly pats her back, waving off concern from the strangers and playfully scolding Pia not to eat fish whole next time. Pia briefly glares at her friend from the corner of her eyes.

But the commotion builds up again and she can't stay mad for long. Pia’s net dips as she leans up on her tiptoes to catch Sidon talking with Link, eventually leaving with him and without another glance back. She’d love to say the sinking feeling didn't come back, but it's hard to hide.

“You wanna talk now?” Torfeau asks, fingertips grazing her shoulder. Pia exhales and the half-smile makes a return.

“Sure.”

She intended to drop off her fish to Marot but it seemed like everyone was still in a frenzy after the hero came back, and Marot was nowhere to be found. They end up sitting in the usual shaded, mossy spot overlooking the domain where she could see exactly when her boss returns. Her fingers ache from gripping the net for so long. She finds relief from sitting down and resting her haul against wet rock. As soon as Torfeau joins her, words spill forth like a waterfall. She's just glad her friend isn't stabbing this one.

“I'm looking too much into it, aren't I?” She finishes with. “Maybe I was thinking…TOO positively. I was unrealistic and I'm too boring. For someone like a prince, anyway.”

Torfeau holds her hand, thumb rubbing over smooth and damp skin. She nods in quiet support.

“I think he'd do better chasing after the Hylian. I think-” if she had brows, they'd furrow, “I think-”

“Stop,” Torfeau urges, squeezing her hand, “Pia you're the one who taught me to think positively. Like, cheesy as it sounds. And maybe you're right, but about the wrong things. Maybe you have different expectations. Maybe you're an awesome friend to him and he doesn't want romance. So what? You're having fun being friends, right? That's more than a lot of people can say.”

“Tor he saw my shoulders.”

“Yea, and?”

“Basically asked if I was single! He asked if the marks were recent. I just think it's a bad idea. I'm not enough for his...ambition? I don't know.”

Torfeau audibly exhales. She looks out onto the plaza, onto the memorial for Mipha, and says:

“You think he would've done something if he was really into you.”

“I think he was waiting for the hero to come back,” Pia adds, trying to hide defeat. Torfeau brings her in for a hug and the gesture comforts her like nothing else does in that moment. Her friend holds the hug for a solid few moments.

“Hey, did I ever tell you about the time I reached too far over a Gerudo?” Torfeau asks, and Pia perks up almost instantly.

“You WHAT?”

“Yea, I guess she wandered a little far and ended up here, and well-”

“Goddess, Tor! Why didn't I hear about THAT?!”

“I didn't know how you would react, I'm so sorry!”

On a lighter note, it's easier to end a decent day with a good story and the conclusion that maybe she should scale back her hopes and just settle for good ol’ friendship. It isn't that she's not GOOD enough…

He would just do better with someone on par with his aspirations, someone who could make him feel more fulfilled or something.

Right?

She careens up stairs, net in hand, towards Marot Mart to finally turn in the day’s catch. Torfeau was right; who cares if things weren't going to go the way she expected? Nothing about the last two week has even been slightly normal. If Sidon wants big heroism and adventure, then she'd cheer that on too.

That's what friends do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi loves thanks for the comments, they make my day  
> I try to write as quickly as possible but I do have work so bear with me! C:  
> sorry for the sad chapter <3 at least it's short!


	7. Seek

Interestingly enough, her night doesn't end there.

After turning in her fish, Pia finds herself with a handful of shrimp that Marot didn't want. (Or maybe she just couldn't sell them in time, but Pia isn't picky.) Her steps drag a bit and her top fin droops, but night falls otherwise peacefully over the domain with restored safety. Blue column lights glow against beautiful marble walls and despite her seemingly defeated composure, the air smells sweet and feels light. The domain buzzes with airy excitement and festivity. It make her smile.

She steps quicker towards her home, in tune to a melody in her head, nothing but shrimp and the sweet embrace of deep sleep on her mind. Of course, everyone is out celebrating and she'd rather be home. Credit to Torfeau, who decided some quiet space was better than trying to strongarm her friend into joining her for a night out.

High cliff side provided a place for Zora to build into, and while Pia’s place isn't the most lavish of cliff dwellings, it carries the basics. Squares cut into the rock wall to provide nice places to look out onto the domain, a large basin where water running from the ceiling could pool and eventually drain out of the room… Being water-bound doesn't seem so bad with a setup like this!

Mist graces her skin and she closes her eyes to inhale the night air. She can't have it all, and that's fine. What she does have are friends and a safe place to live.

“Pia.”

She turns on a dime, shrimp clutched tightly in her hand.

“Sidon?”

He sees the surprise in her eyes, concluding she must've been deep in thought to not hear him closing in. On a night like this, very few Zora are going to be anywhere near home. Royalty doesn't live over here…yet here he stands.

“Are you busy?”

She glances down at the shrimp.

“I was just about to eat.” She answers, finding her eyes drift back to him and the way the atmosphere softens his red scales. She fidgets. “Would you like to join me?”

He visibly brightens, broad smile across his lips.

“I'd love to!”

He takes her up on it with enthusiasm and she can't help checking over her shoulders a few times as she unlocks the door. She fears the rumors that could come so easily out of inviting him in; thankfully everyone’s busy dancing it up or whatever it is people do when their lives aren’t in immediate danger anymore. She closes the door behind herself, stifling giggles at the fact that he has to bend down to get in. These ceilings weren’t meant for Zora royalty.

“I hope you like shrimp,” she says, eyeing her place nervously. Aside from the fish bones in a neat pile on the end table, her place is relatively presentable. The shrimp in her hand don’t measure up to a meal made for royalty, she’s sure, but she can’t do anything about that now.

“I’m not picky.” He answers, content to sit on the wet floor by the table. His red scales make the room seem warmer, the only other thing not blue being a small lantern by the window. She gets a couple of bowls out and dumps the bag of shrimp into one, careful to keep them from falling. “Your home is so simple, it’s fitting.”

She laughs.

“I imagine it looks pretty bare to someone like you, yea.”

“I didn’t mean it in a bad way!” He corrects, a little taken aback. “It’s nice and I find it cozy. Sweet.” He watches her while she approaches and sets the bowl on the table, joining him on the opposite end. “Thank you for letting me join. I’m surprised you aren’t out with the rest!” He plucks shrimp from the bowl, throwing it back whole. “I didn’t think I was going to find you.”

“You’re not out there either.” She replies, keeping a handful of shrimp in her palm to pull from. She bites one in half, crunching on shell, meat, and leg bits before a hard swallow. “That’s unlike you.”

He responds with a furtive smile.

“I had to see the hero off.”

She raises a figurative brow at that, head tilted.

“He left already?” She asks with genuine curiosity. The way Sidon waited and talked about him, she expected the Hylian to stick around at least a few days. He nods, reaching for more shrimp.

“Yes! Believe me, I told him he’s always welcome to our Domain, I offered him room and prepared meals, anything he needed.” He pauses to eat more, and she remembers that Hylians can’t eat most fish raw like Zora do. “He’s inspiring, to be that brave for the sake of so many people.” She quietly munches, bright eyes unblinking on the prince. “But I realized something while I talked to him.”

She holds a crustacean by the tail, letting it dangle between her fingers. The little legs and antennae curled shyly close to its body, she couldn’t relate more emotionally.

“I overshot. I’d like to be the hero he is. I’ve said that many times...” He says, and places a firm hand on the table. She looks up from her palm full of shrimp. “But I thought about your words more, and I realized I don’t have to be the hero of the whole world. People here, in the Domain, this IS their whole world. Mipha was a Champion, even if she couldn’t leave.”

She lowers her hand, ignoring the din outside that rises and falls in inconsistent waves. His hands wave as he speaks, she sees thoughts race somehow behind his eyes.

“He left because he's not done with his job. But who will be a hero for the Zora?”

“Not me.” She says, grinning when he shoots her a look of mock offense. The remark is enough to break the semi serious mood he'd cultivated, and he wears a subtler smile while he pulls the head off a shrimp.

"And the kingdom was counting on you." He laughs, looking far too big for the small space that she lives in. He dwarfs the table. "I assume you get what I'm trying to say, then."

"Yes." She nods, covering her mouth. “I also don't think you could go very far without water.”

“You think of everything, don't you?” He teases, pretending to throw the shrimp head at her. She squeaks and flinches, and he eats it with obvious amusement. Her response is to grab another and straighten up, arm drawn back ready to toss. 

“Almost everything.” When she does throw, he catches the whole shrimp with his teeth and swallows it as is. The rest of the bowl disappears similarly. He cranes his neck to catch the flying crustaceans and it's a moment of freedom for both of them. Table manners be damned, it's more fun like this.

By the bottom of the bowl she lays on the floor with a hand over her eyes and no desire for refined manners. His throaty laughter is music to her ears, far more so than the faraway laughter of celebrating Zora. Her heart floats high above dark water.

“Last one.” She hears him say, and when she pulls her hand away she sees him standing over her, shrimp between his fingers.

“You're giving it to me?” She asks, smile in her eyes as she wipes away the hint of a tear. Slowly the innocent joy leaves her expression. This is an interesting angle…

“Please, for being an excellent host.” He says, muffled as he bites the tail of the shrimp and lets it dangle there. He crouches, face upside down to hers. This close to her, she isn't sure whether to look at the shrimp’s eyes or his. She's almost too stunned to react. He nods once, urging her to.

So much for thinking on strictly friendly terms.

She cranes her neck to take it from him, close enough to feel his electricity with her sensitive shark nose. Swallowing the crustacean isn't a problem, but Sidon hasn't left. She blinks.

“Thanks.” The words leave in a whisper. He tilts his head.

“Thank you, Pia.” His eyes flit over her face. Her hand fidgets nervously at her sides. It feels like a couple days ago in the reservoir. “For your friendship and kindness. Now that Vah Ruta is taken care of, I have a lot less stress but a lot more work to do.”

A corner of her lips tugs up.

“I was afraid of spreading myself too thin, between Link and...you. I hope you understand that I had obligations to the domain’s safety, and those obligations didn't include...well, courtship.” She wants to speak, to say yes of course she understands, but he keeps going. “That's why I'd like to ask you now, if you'll allow me to pursue more than friendship. I feel very strongly about this and, if our swim in the reservoir was any indication, I hope I'm not imagining that you do too.”

She gapes, hands now brought to her chest. Without another wasted second, she reaches up and brings her lips to his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> <3 sorry for the wait, but hope this was a good treat!


	8. Lust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> here's the good shit ya nasties ;)

A moblin falls to the floor and bursts into a puff of sparkling smoke, and when it clears, Pia stands victoriously over the loot. Useless to her, but that's one less monster terrorizing the outskirts of her domain.

Water droplets fall from the decorated metal helmet covering her face, matching gauntlets and chest plate reflecting the orangey glow of the sky. 

“Pia!” She hears in the near distance, just beyond the twist of the river and parallel mountain path. She twirls her spear and grins underneath the helmet, turning on her webbed toes to spring forth and join the water’s flow. Her body rolls in time with the currents, her gills flutter to circulate fresh water through her amphibious lungs. And when the time is right, she leaps from the river and onto the grass above, where her partner waits.

“Are you alright?” He asks, towering over her with the sheer glisten of water on his red scales. “Can't imagine it's even half a struggle for you but no harm in asking.”

She scrunches her would-be nose at him playfully, digging the butt of her spear into the soft ground.

“I don't see you making any progress.” To which he grins and flicks her helmet.

“I'm surprised you can see ANYTHING from this.”

“This is standard protocol, excuse you. Plus, it's part of YOUR royal guard’s ensemble.”

“Don't blame me, I'm not the king!”

“Not yet.”

“Yes, well…” He shakes his head, a dismissive smile left on his lips. Water drips from his tail end, the small feather on his headdress swaying, and she thinks how much more silly that looks than the the armor near blocking her vision. She reaches for the helmet. “I didn't say you had to wear it, silly.”

“I do if I'm going to look the part!” She chirps as they start walking, eventually taking to the water to swim back. A setting sun only means one thing: dinner. She sticks her tongue out before pushing past him playfully. A few weeks ago she wouldn’t have had that kind of nerve, but as it turns out, the prince liked playful. Somewhere in there, a touch-deprived Zora waited for the chance to strike. He lets her jump in first, gaze soft on the curve of her spine and the graceful splash behind her.

A month after the events surrounding Vah Ruta and Link, Sidon established jointly with her the new guard. Their job was to clean up and maintain the domain, in a nutshell. With the hero’s arrival came more monsters. Because his adventure led him elsewhere, he wouldn't be around to directly protect the Zora from the after-effects...or perhaps lesser direct consequences of Calamity Ganon’s imminent return.

While they couldn't take care of Ruta by themselves, they sure as hell could take on a few mindless beasts. The guard gave new jobs to enthusiastic Zora, and aside from Marot losing her best employee, almost everyone else benefitted.

Almost.

He’s close to her, eclipses her from the low daylight above. She twirls, helmet in hand and spear in the other, and ends up by his side. 

“Should I stop by the market before we go?” She asks, eyes bright. Her fins flutter against his as they swim.

“Won’t be necessary, I’ve already arranged for it.” He gives her a side glance that makes her heart jump. She asks why and he swims in front of her, effectively halting them in the water. It's only out there that he's allowed to be anything less than prim and proper. “Maybe I want to be alone with you.”

She quirks a ‘brow’ at him, but her cheeks flush. She doesn’t often question his decisions--he’s never given her a reason to--but it isn’t tough to figure out what a little extra time could mean. He tilts his head and runs his tongue along his teeth. Electric pulses run down her spine. When the realization sinks in, it’s a lot easier to ignore a growling stomach.

She feels the bubbles of pent-up desire in her stomach, while her heart races in her chest. Confidence retracts like waves on the shoreline; the progress they’ve made in the relationship didn’t prepare her for a moment like this. She consistently makes the effort to be as casual as possible for an average Zora, but the implications of mating with nobility...

“We’re somewhat pressed for time, then.” She teases, albeit a little nervously. A couple bubbles escape his toothy smile.

“We can be a little late.”

His hand falls down her arm and grabs the helmet, her grasp loosening so that he can release it to the lake bed. She lets the spear fall too, so that she can use both hands and hold his face. A sensual smile graces his lips as his hands find her finned hips, and her kiss ignites something beyond his facade of immaculate conduct.

For the last month, he hasn't been able to get much more than a chaste kiss in before another citizen, or his father, needs him. He's more than happy to oblige, but underneath the surface, that water is not calm. He floats backwards so that she ends up on top of him. She kisses him like she has every right to, hands along his jaw and teeth inevitably clicking. They’re not exactly meant for kissing.

A tiny slice is all it really takes. Between the tension and that, his pupils dilate.

“Damn.” He hisses, grip tightening on her. She doesn’t care; the throbbing between her legs doesn’t care. Her fins splay and so do her legs, the cold water emphasizing that central heat. Open water does always look the most inviting. And if she’s being honest with herself, experience does nothing when none before have been...well, a prince. She drags her nails along his chest but it doesn’t last long. He breaks away from her quickly and she’s glad she kept the chest plate on.

From behind, his teeth latch onto and grind against the metal on her shoulder, and she feels the clamping pressure of his bite right through it. She whines, not out of pain but out of need. His hands cover her thighs, keeping them apart with ease. She wouldn’t have fought him on it regardless, unlike their animal counterparts. His back curves inwards, abdomen hard against her back. She feels them first, mostly smooth and firm against her inner thighs, before she allows herself to see his claspers for the second time.

Red-blooded shark through and through, he doesn’t fail to intimidate her.

She swallows hard, reaching for one with an extended arm. The gesture’s met with guttural satisfaction, but he doesn’t let go of the shoulder. His hips twitch with lust and she accepts the display by guiding him with excited, shaking webbed hands. It’s been a damn long time since the last shark she mated. The tip of one clasper teases at her folds and she barely has the chance to enjoy the edge.

His hips jerk, inch by searing inch of him stretching her significantly smaller dimensions. The sound that leaves him is drawn out, a clear reflection of all this time he’s been waiting. Her eyes wide when she joins and chokes out a cry. She aches, he doesn’t pause, his clasper buries itself within her. The neglected one softly thumps against her thigh.

“S-” she sighs, eyelids closing halfway, “Sidon-”

The calm is broken after that; he twists them in the water and jerks harder. Strangled moans tear from her throat and her hands grab the tops of his. His bite loosens briefly.

“You okay?” He breathes, still moving. She nods slowly, but she still hasn’t adjusted enough. She’s not sure she will completely.

“Please.” She mews, finding the heart for a short, breathy laugh. “I’m- goddess I’m hanging on.”

“Good,” he grunts, his tone shifting into a low rumble, “because I can barely- ah- move.”

And this time he bites down on the other side of her armored neck, his movement picking up with the determination to fit himself deeper into her. Tonic immobility has nothing on the abrupt pleasured trance that overtakes her, but there isn’t much else she can do while his teeth grate against her armor and one clasper stuffs her to the point of throbbing, satisfying discomfort. One of her hands touches his face, the other out and directionless. He lights every nerve in her body. Goddess above she should have done this sooner.

Her mouth agape, she relishes in the tight friction that grows more and more desperate as time passes. She can’t be bothered with time, or the king waiting on them for dinner. Not when the king’s son is devotedly mating a common Zora like she deserves it. Like she’s the exact Zora he’s been waiting for.

“Pia.” He drawls, tongue nearly lolling when he lets go of the metal, and a few more expletives roll off his tongue as the jerking stops. She finally gets relief from her high as he pulls away--a little too late. Her eyelids flutter shut, she bites her lip with the feelings of sharp, warm spurts on her thoroughly ravaged folds. The other clasper stiffens too, at a short delay, releasing smaller and less forced clouds of seed into the water.

Not that she minds, but there are Zora who would kill for that.

“Goddess-” he pants, arms closing her in an iron cage. His head presses into hers.

“Yes,” she agrees, barely coming to, “a thousand times yes, but I think I need a good few days to, ah...recover.” She can’t shake the excited shivering, but a soft glow finds her cheeks in the meantime. He laughs, hugging her tighter before releasing.

“I didn’t think you’d want to even try.” He admits, swimming backwards so that she can she his claspers are very clearly not calmed down yet. “So...thank you.”

“You’re a prince, you don’t need to thank anybody for anything.” She wants to swim after him but the effort makes her wince. He roughed her up a little more than she anticipated. “And definitely not that. Next time I’m thinking I’ll leave the armor at home.” His eyes light up.

“By the goddess I couldn’t do that-”

He stops unexpectedly, in time for them both to hear the faintest shouting somewhere above water, a Zora looking for the missing prince and his partner. She makes eye contact with Sidon and darts for her strewn weapon while he goes for the helmet. He tries to smooth down his pelvic fins, rushing to look decent while his own body outright refuses to listen. She giggles in genuine amusement at his attempts and very real panic, which earns her a dirty look.

“See you up there.” She sings, grabbing the helmet from him and doing her best to mask the lingering ache between her legs. He pulls the helmet--and consequently, her--in and smushes his lips against hers.

“Might take me a while to not be like...this.”

“Yea,” she kisses him, “me too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> last chapter will just be an epilogue :) to tie it all up in a pretty bow, I guess!

**Author's Note:**

> Short n sweet. Let me know your thoughts, I appreciate the interest and kudos!  
> Fun fact: I don't own this game  
> Stay tuned for more<3


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